1. Technical Field
This present invention relates to a device for wirelessly charging electronic devices and, more specifically, to a device for providing a secure and stable platform for wirelessly charging electronic devices in vehicles.
2. Discussion
Electronic devices are used throughout our daily lives for many things including communication, entertainment, and time management. Electronic devices are increasingly becoming more portable and more powerful allowing more users to do an increasing amount of activities remotely in the course of daily life. For example, many people now have smart phones which allow them to access e-mail, surf the web, and do other activities in addition to phone services. Other electronic devices commonly used include cameras, traditional cell phones, music players, and video players. Such devices are powered by batteries and require the user to continually monitor battery life and recharge batteries when needed.
Charging portable electronic devices generally includes the use of a charging cord having a connector connected to a source of electricity. Typically, the charging cord is plugged into a wall socket within a house, office, or other building. As these electronic devices are generally designed for mobile communication, entertainment, and time management, many times users are away from the home, office, or other locations where they may easily charge the device. To charge electronic devices remotely, many users have also purchased charging cords which allow mobile charging of the electronic device through a vehicle's electrical system. More specifically, these cords are generally plugged into a power outlet such as the power outlet commonly referred to in a vehicle as a cigarette lighter outlet. The charging cord connects on one end to the power outlet and on the other end to an electronic device through a connector. Charging cords provided by the manufacturers of electronic devices typically include unique connector arrangements for each device type. For example, an electronic device such as a cell phone is not likely to have the same connector arrangement as a portable compact disc player or a digital camera, and even different device manufactures use different connector arrangements for their electronic devices, such as different cell phones manufactures traditionally have different proprietary connector arrangements for their cell phones. Not only is it inconvenient to purchase a charging cord for a vehicle, but if two users of a vehicle have differing cell phones as well as differing devices, multiple charge cords may need to be purchased and stored in the vehicle. Finding the correct charging cord, if multiple cords are in the vehicle is very distracting to the driver of a vehicle and vehicles have limited storage space, most of which is not easily accessible to the driver of a vehicle. More distracting or frustrating to the end user is when multiple charge cords become tangled, especially when quick charging of a portable device before the battery fails is required. Given the frequency that the charge cords are plugged in and unplugged, they quickly become inoperable requiring the purchase of an additional charge cord.
Also, while the vehicle is in motion, typically a lack of locations exists to securely store the electronic device while being charged while still allowing access to the device by vehicle occupants. For example, many users attach a cell phone to a charger cord plugged into a power outlet on the vehicle and then to prevent the cell phone from falling onto the floor or under a seat, place the cell phone loosely in a free cup holder. Such placement within a cup holder is not desirable as the cell phone is not visible or useable by the occupant unless it is removed, which may distract the operator of the vehicle. Also, the electronic device from the crude insertion, typically upside down into a cup holder, may become scratched over time. In addition, if the cup holders are already being used for retaining cups, the devices, such as cell phones are free to slide on the floor or under the seat, even when placed on a fairly flat center console.
One resolution to the cumbersome use of charge cords has been the introduction of electromagnetic induction technology or wireless charging. Induction technology is employed in a wide range of applications, both commercially and within the house. For example, applications which inductively include power transfer are the recharging of electric vehicles, the charging of electric toothbrushes, and powering smart tags and security tags. Such induction technology, however, has not been broadly transferred to portable electronic devices. For electromagnetic induction technology to be used to charge portable devices in vehicles, some have suggested providing a primary coil under each cup holder in the vehicle such that when the user places a cell phone in the cup holder loosely, the cell phone is charged, however this may add significant cost to each vehicle. Other examples of primary units that have been discussed are primary coils integrated into the sun visors and holders between the center console and passenger seats. Furthermore, when the primary coil of a primary charging unit is not aligned properly with the receiving coil or secondary coil in the portable device, the portable device is not efficiently charged. Therefore, placing a cell phone loosely in a cup holder may cause the cell phone to receive only limited charge through inductive charging to the frustration of the user.